Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, as other Republican officials have done in the past month, called on Gov. Tom Wolf to release the initial report on an internal investigation into the behavior of Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. Stack and his wife were accused of verbal abuse of their state police security detail and their staff at the lieutenant governor's state-owned residence. Among the allegations were that the Stacks would get profanely belligerent when officers refused to put on the vehicle's emergency lights and siren, so the couple could move through traffic quicker.

Wolf asked for the Office of Investigator General to investigate myriad complaints against Stack. The initial report was finished in early December, but Wolf has declined to release it, partially because Stack's wife is being treated for a mental-health issue.

“I’m not gonna release it,” Wolf told reporters. “My concern back in the summer was to make sure the employees, police officers, the staff of the residence were safe and were not in a bad job situation.” He said he saw the release of the report as "piling on." Wolf had said last spring when the investigation was ordered that he'd consider releasing it.

On Tuesday, Metcalfe, no friend of City Paper,called for the report's release in a letter to Wolf. Stack is running for re-election — opponents include Braddock Mayor John Fetterman — and Metcalfe says the governor's move smells of politics.

"Your recent decision to not release this important report into inappropriate behavior by an elected official is inexplicable and unacceptable. You have chosen to release reports conducted by the inspector general in the past, such as the report regarding the investigation into the State Police Academy cadets.

"As the lieutenant governor is a public figure, this information is relevant to the taxpayers, voters and citizens of the Commonwealth. ... Your administration has claimed that ‘transparent government that works’ is a priority, but this decision makes it appear that your priorities may be more appropriately labeled ‘secretive government that works for me.’ It should be routine practice to release inspector general reports, instead of selecting which reports you find convenient to allow the public to access."

Normally in these cases, this I where I typically give Metcalfe the business and call him out for being a shitty, closed-minded human being. But not today, because I agree with him, and I know what you're thinking right now:

But he's right, as are any other officials or reporters or citizens who think this report should be public. Stack is up for re-election next year. This is a campaign issue, and a decision to not release this report does have the smell of political gamesmanship. The day after Wolf's decision, several Democratic members of the state Senate endorsed Stack. Pittsburgh's own Jay Costa was among them saying, "Nobody has been a stronger advocate for democratic ideals than Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. ... He's ready to continue to do the job and, more importantly, he's ready to be called upon, if ever needed, to do the position of governor if that occurs."

Wait. Really? So you honestly think that someone who treats the people under them like shit could/should be the governor in a pinch? Do you honestly believe that Mike Stack exemplifies democratic ideals? If you do, then you didn't learn anything from the 2016 presidential election. Mike Stack shouldn't be rewarded for his behavior with four more years, let alone party support to run for another four years. There is a crowded field of qualified candidates for this job; candidates who haven't acted like asshats.

One of those opponents, Murrysville's Aryanna Berringer, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "It causes us not to be able to talk about the issues and what's really important. The Republicans are going to absolutely use this against us."

HARRISBURG — House State Government Committee Majority Chairman Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) sent the following letter to Gov. Tom Wolf today calling on his administration to release the Office of Inspector General’s conduct report on Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack:

“Dear Governor Wolf:

“As you have publicly made governmental transparency a priority for your administration, it was discouraging to learn that you would not be releasing the Office of Inspector General’s report regarding the lieutenant governor’s inappropriate conduct.

“When reports of the lieutenant governor’s abusive behavior toward his staff and police detail, and his misuse of the detail by encouraging them to activate their flashing lights and sirens in non-emergency situations were first released, your initial response was appropriate. Your decision to remove the lieutenant governor’s protective detail and a number of the staff assigned to his residence was justifiable. In addition, your directing the inspector general to conduct an investigation into his behavior created a public expectation that they would be given answers.

“Your recent decision to not release this important report into inappropriate behavior by an elected official is inexplicable and unacceptable. You have chosen to release reports conducted by the inspector general in the past, such as the report regarding the investigation into the State Police Academy cadets.

“As the lieutenant governor is a public figure, this information is relevant to the taxpayers, voters and citizens of the Commonwealth. Taxpayers pay the many expenses and salaries of the lieutenant governor and his staff. In addition, taxpayer resources paid for the inspector general’s investigation and report.

“Your administration has claimed that ‘transparent government that works’ is a priority, but this decision makes it appear that your priorities may be more appropriately labeled ‘secretive government that works for me.’ It should be routine practice to release inspector general reports, instead of selecting which reports you find convenient to allow the public to access.

“I request that you reconsider your decision and immediately release the inspector general’s report, as the citizens of this Commonwealth have a right to the information that it will provide.”